Bulk products such as produce are often packaged in containers comprised of rigid end panels about which a flexible cover sheet is wrapped in order to form the bottom, side and top panels. The end panels include stacking projections on their upper or lower edges and stacking recesses on their opposite edge. When the containers are stacked, the projections from one container fit into the recesses of the next higher or lower container. The flexible sheet includes slots for receiving the stacking projections and the corners of the end panels. Means are also provided on the end panels for holding the ends of the sheet in place. Typically, the ends of the sheet may overlap to form a fully enclosed container or they may be spaced from each other to provide a partially open top panel.
Although such containers function quite well when used to package bulk products, problems arise when they are used to package smaller containers filled with bulk products. The smaller containers are typically plastic baskets filled with small articles of produce, such as berries or cherry tomatoes. Because the sides of the baskets are normally inwardly tapered, the basket bottoms are spaced from each other as well as from the side panels of the main container. This arrangement permits the baskets to shift or tilt during shipment and handling of the larger main containers, resulting in potential damage to the contents of the baskets.
A main object of this invention is to provide a shipping container which makes use of the basic design concept described above, but which can be modified when used to package smaller containers of bulk materials to stabilize the smaller containers and prevent them from moving within the main container.